This recipe for baked chicken and cheese taquitos is perfect for Cinco de Mayo, or dinner, lunch or snack any day. It’s truly one of my favorite dinners to eat. It’s nothing fancy, and I never even bother with “side dishes” because nobody in my family even cares. My husband and I are perfectly content with a few of these bad boys with some sour cream, guac, and/or salsa. They bake up nice and crispy, and that sprinkling of a little kosher salt on the top just makes it.
This recipe from Seeded at the Table was discovered (with much enthusiasm) on Pinterest, and I further refined it with another recipe from Healthy-Delicious which taught me to shave the tortilla calories by 50% by simply cutting the thing in half. So here is my happy hybrid recipe that I usually make, although it varies depending on what I have around and what I feel like.
Baked Taquitos with Chicken & Cheese
yield: 16 tacquitos
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup green salsa
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
- 2 Tbsp sliced green onions
- 2 breasts shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
- 8″ fajita sized flour or corn tortillas, cut in half
- kosher salt
- cooking spray
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
I poach the chicken in a pot, adding Adobo, garlic powder, onion powder, and a dash of cinnamon. I don’t measure this part, I just throw it in and let it all boil for about 20 minutes. Then I take the chicken on a plate and shred with the ends of 2 forks. (Or, I’ve heard that you can use the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, but I’ve never tried it that way)
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.
A few tortillas at a time, cut them in half and heat them in the microwave between two damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).
Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the long edge of a tortilla half. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.
Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone. Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.
**To freeze: Before baking, freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months. To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Source: Adapted from Our Best Bites